The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 147 - Pursuit

Shen Qingrang was never some saintly figure—Song Chuyi had learned this fact all too well in her previous life. At first, he'd showered her with affection, giving her kites, mandarin duck inkstones, and tokens of love, even pledging eternal devotion under the moon. He'd humbled himself with sweet words, making promises of a lifetime together. Yet, later, he turned on her mercilessly, overturning every kindness, shattering her dreams, and casting her from the clouds down to the depths of hell, leaving her bruised and unrecognizable. He even had it in him to kill the child they shared...

Song Chuyi didn't want to provoke him again. She had her faults in their past life, losing herself completely in her blind attachment to him, sacrificing her pride and family. She hadn't been a good person, trampling over boundaries, brazenly arrogant, and selfish, offending those she shouldn't have. In this second chance, she only wanted to live in peace.

Yet, while she intended to avoid Shen Qingrang, she hadn't expected that he would still come after her...

Lady He was shocked to the core, unable to hold back as she kicked the maid square in the chest. "What nonsense are you spouting?!"

The maid, knocked sideways by the blow, scrambled back to her feet, clutching Lady He's leg, crying, "No, no, My Lady, even if I had ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare lie to you. It truly was the Young Heir who ordered me to come..."

With such solid evidence, even if Lady He wished to protect her son, she didn't know what to say. Instead, a deep worry began to creep into her heart—if her husband found out, Shen Qingrang would not escape a severe punishment.

First Lady Cui could no longer hold back a cold laugh. "Since the esteemed heir of your family wishes to invite our Xiao Yi so eagerly, Xianle Garden must be an exceptional place. Why don't we honor his wish and take a look ourselves? Let's see just what makes it so special that he'd go so far as to try and trick someone into going."

First Lady Cui's status was not to be taken lightly; she was, after all, the Crown Prince's cousin. Lady He dared not offend her and was about to change the subject when she heard the First Lady Song speak in a chilly tone, "Indeed, I'd like to see what on earth is so remarkable about the place that the Young Heir would invoke the Crown Prince's son's name."

Lady He found herself trapped. She'd come today to ask for a favor, and if she continued to defend her son, it would not only be useless but might lead Shen Xiaohai to beat the boy to death in anger.

Her heart was in turmoil as she led First Lady Cui, First Lady Song, and Song Chuyi toward Xianle Garden. She anxiously wondered why her son would suddenly come up with such an idea, her heart pounding as dread filled her mind—she recalled that Xianle Garden was where her eldest illegitimate son, Shen Qingyun, lived. Shen Qingyun was unrestrained and indulged in keeping young servants and actors there...

Realizing her son truly had ill intentions, Lady He grew even more frantic, ready to make up an excuse to stop them, when she saw Duke Ying's heir, Shen Xiaohai, striding toward them in haste.

"What's going on here?" he asked, glancing at Lady He, then respectfully greeting First Lady Cui before turning back, his face dark. "I heard that my son has caused yet another disturbance?"

How had news reached him so quickly? Lady He found herself at a loss for words, hesitating as she stammered out an explanation, her voice growing softer the further she went. She had always feared Shen Xiaohai, and now, with their son's misdeeds threatening to ruin his reputation, her nerves were so frayed that her voice trembled uncontrollably by the end.

Shen Xiaohai's face grew darker and darker, and by the end, it was as black as the bottom of a pot. With a grim expression, he glanced at Lady He, then clasped his hands in apology to First Lady Cui and First Lady Song, concisely saying, "We will certainly give you an explanation for this matter."

First Lady Cui, holding Song Chuyi close, didn't relax in the slightest and nodded, replying, "Then we'll wait for your explanation, my lord."

Song Chuyi knew Shen Xiaohai's temperament well. If he said he would provide an explanation, it was almost certain he'd make sure Shen Qingrang would be beaten half to death right in front of them, leaving no trace that anyone could later use against him.

Shen Qingrang deserved a lesson, or he'd continue thinking that she was the same pushover as before, someone he could mold and manipulate without facing any resistance.

"There's no need to visit Xianle Garden," Shen Xiaohai deliberated for a moment, then explained earnestly to First Lady Cui and the First Lady, "It's not that I'm trying to hide anything or cover for my unworthy son. It's simply that Xianle Garden is my eldest son's residence..."

At these words, First Lady Cui and the First Lady exchanged a glance, naturally dropping any mention of going there.

Shen Xiaohai stroked his goatee, then sternly ordered the nanny by Lady He's side, "Bring that disobedient, worthless boy to me at once!"

Lady He felt her legs go weak at his roar, and while she glanced at him anxiously and nervously in her heart, she dared not show a trace of it on her face, forcing a smile as if everything were normal.

Shortly after, a nanny indeed led Shen Qingrang into the flower hall. Seeing that no one else was present, Shen Xiaohai immediately kicked him hard enough to stagger, then cursed, "Ungrateful child! What exactly did you do today?!"

Shen Qingrang hadn't expected that, after waiting so long, not only had Song Chuyi not shown up, but his father had instead appeared with rage and violence. In shock, he glanced sideways at Song Chuyi, who stood with a composed expression, as if oblivious, and turned his head away in distaste.

He stubbornly snorted, fuming silently, the large gold collar around his neck now looking particularly out of place. Shen Xiaohai was thoroughly angered. He wasn't one to coddle his son like Lady He, and with matters pressing on his mind, he was even more furious that Shen Qingrang would add to the trouble at such a time. Seeing Shen Qingrang's silence, he raised his voice, ordering someone outside to fetch the family rod, then sneered at Shen Qingrang, "If you don't give everyone a proper explanation today, I'll beat you to death, you disgrace to our family, you fool who tarnishes our name!"

Now, Shen Qingrang began to feel genuine fear. After all, he was just a twelve-year-old boy, terrified of his father, whom he regarded as a ferocious tiger. His mother, always humble before his father, held little authority in front of him, so Shen Qingrang instinctively shrank back, inching away in fright.

Shen Xiaohai, seeing this craven display, grew even angrier. Just thinking about his son leading others to Xianle Garden fueled his wrath, and without waiting for the family rod, he angrily moved toward him.

Lady He finally mustered the courage to grab onto him tightly, urgently urging Shen Qingrang, "Speak up already! Who put you up to this?"

Unlike Shen Xiaohai, she couldn't believe her son would recklessly do something so cruel and foolish. The words written on that note weren't even something her son could come up with... Clearly, someone was inciting him from the shadows!